DOC 109 East Palace: Robert Oppenheimer and the Secret City of Los Alamos by Jennet Conant in History

Review

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. The people that made the Manhattan Project a success.By Jeff DawsonWhat a great read. I can’t say enough about the insight Jennet Conant puts into this work. She has done a masterful job weaving the intricacies of the bomb development; political up-heavel and meshing of over inflated egos into a precise; easy to digest; complex subject matter.We all know Oppenheimer was dubbed; the “Father of the Atomic Bomb;” but how was he able to do it is the real story.We were in a race to beat Germany to the draw. Everyone knew; if Hitler got there first; he’d waste no time nuking Moscow; London; Warsaw or any other target in Europe. General Groves chooses Oppenheimer to lead the charge at Los Alamos.Talk about two diametric individuals; Oppie is the quintessential academian while Groves is hardcore military. War does make strange bedfellows. But the glue that holds this tenuous détente together is Dorothy McKibbins whom Oppie hired. Without her organizational skills and calm demeanor; it’s questionable whether the Manhattan Project would have succeeded. She was the prop master behind the curtain that allowed the performers to shine. You name it and she saw it was handled even it wasn’t in her job title: housing; food; transportation; entertainment; lost luggage; passes; credentials. No one stepped foot into the compound until she vetted him or her. The only time she allowed a stranger onto the base was when a B-29 pilot arrived late for a meeting. She sized him up in a few minutes and decided; he was okay. The pilot? None other than Colonel Paul Tibbets. I’d say she was a good judge of character.No matter what task Oppie asked Dorothy to perform; she never balked. She; like many women were mesmerized by this soft spoken giant in the world of Physics. Whether he knew it or not; he had quite an effect on the female persuasion; yet stay true to his wife Kitty.Without going into too much detail; she loved this man for his energy; kindness; compassion and wit.Oppie’s drawback was his intelligence and superior attitude. Many of his colleagues embraced it while others; who felt his harsh wit; held high resentment; including the military.After the war; we are aware of the McCarthy hearings and how they were designed to weed out any and all people who were remotely connected to the Communist Party. Many of the scientists who worked on the bomb; for whatever reasons had joined the party; but were not active. It was the thing to do. The identification of Fuchs and the Rosenbergs as Russian spies added salt to the wound. Oppenheimer would be grilled at congressional hearings for not releasing the name of a would-be informant.His naivety of political workings would be his temporary downfall in the public eye. No textbook or theorem could prepare him for the inner workings of Washington. This is an excellent read for anyone interested in the inner workings of Los Alamos and the individuals who launched the world into the atomic age.Five Stars!6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. It is a fascinating read historically and is told in such a personal way I could really be there during the hectic and funny timBy James GundersonThis book is so interesting and engaging I felt I was right there in Santa Fe and Los Alamos with Oppenheimer; his secretary; Dorothy; and all of the scientists and other characters. It is a fascinating read historically and is told in such a personal way I could really be there during the hectic and funny times as well as during the gut wrenching dilemma the scientists found themselves in working on such a project and it's unknown future. I lived in New Mexico for ten years and knew very little of this. For anyone who's interested in the Manhattan project; WW11 or just wants a really good story I highly recommend "109 E Palace".6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. A Really Great BookBy WillyA wonderful read. Extremely well written. It brought back the drama of America's secret A-Bomb and life on the "The Hill"; Los Alamos; N.M. I was a post war schoolboy and we lived there. My father; an eminent radiologist; headed the fledgling radiation and cancer therapy department in the new Los Alamos Hospital. Radiation was magic. Anyone privileged to see an isotope in a darkened room marveled at it's glow. At our social level we hobnobbed with international scientific luminaries befitting my father's status. Adults still wore badges in the tech areas and labs and to clear the guard posts at both city entrances. Jennet Conant recreates all the kooky Los Alamos society; the hectic lifestyle and the mystery of radioactivity and nuclear bombs. The Lodge was there steak dinners and cocktail parties. In the surrounding forests and arroyos lived game; including deer; bear and rattlesnakes. On weekends my brother and I; grade schoolers; strapped on hunting knives and hunted blue belly lizards. It was taboo to cross No Entry signs. Conant captures it all: the Navajo indians; Santa Fe and the La Fonda Hotel; the silver and turquoise belts and bracelets. I still wear Indian turquoise belt buckles. This is a really great read and I salute Jennet Conant.